#10 – Australia / New Zealand

About

Australia’s biggest attraction is its natural beauty. The landscape varies from endless sunbaked horizons to dense tropical rainforest to chilly southern beaches. Scattered along the coasts, its cities blend a European enthusiasm for art and food with a laid-back love of sport and the outdoors. The unimaginable vastness of the country gives Australia – and its diverse population – much of its character. In cities, visitors will experience a blur of fashion boutiques and crowded restaurants. In the interior, they will hear the thump of rocks under their 4WD, only to be followed by a slow, silent swirl of outback dust. Around the coast, they’ll take in the depths of a rainforest, then slowly realize they have an entire beach to themselves.

Comparable in size and/or shape to Great Britain, Colorado or Japan, New Zealand has a population of only 4 million – making it one of the world’s least crowded countries. It is a haven for those seeking peace, rejuvenation and relaxation as well as a playground for thrill seekers and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes it an ideal year-round holiday destination.